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(ModelJ O. W. WOOL SEY.

Life Buoy;

No. 231,742. Patnted Aug. 31,1880.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES WV. WVOOLSEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LlFE-BUOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,742, dated. August 31, 1880.

Application filed July 31,1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. WOOLSEY, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and useful Life-Buoy, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in life-buoys; and its object is to provide a light, convenient, and easily -handled buoy which may be navigated from place to place, and with which one man can save the life of another or render immediate assistance to many persons in cases of disaster at sea.

Existing buoys and rafts are constructed either so small as to bear the weight of only the person to be saved or so large and cumbersome as to require a crew to handle the same. My invention is intended to be a medium between the above-mentioned. It can be launched and navigated by one person, yet it will bear up the dead weight of two or more persons, and is capable of supporting in water a large number. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a detailed view, in perspective, of the buoy complete, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of one-half of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both views.

A A is an elongated flattened ring, of canvas, stuffed with ground cork or like material. B B B B is a combination of wooden slats crossing each other at right angles and forming two distinct and separate frames, placed on opposite sides of the ring A A, said frames being connected with each other by bolts 0 G incased in wood, and so adjusted to the ring A A that the extreme ends of the frame-work B B B B press tightly upon the ring A A in such manner as to keep it in form and position. D is a double-bladed paddle for propelling the buoy. E E is a belt of canvas fastened around the slats of the frame-work B B B B. F is a life-line attached to the ends of each slat in the frames B B B B.

By preference I construct the ring A A, stuffed with granulated cork, deer-hair, or any buoyant substance, in such dimensions that the length of the finished buoy shall be twice its width, and so that the greatest sectional di (Modch) ameter of the ring A A shall be in the following proportion: viz., if the length of the finished buoy is eight feet and the Width four feet, the greatest sectional diameter of the ring A A must be not less than nine inches.

The frames B B B B are made of pine or other light wood, each slat (referring again to the above example) being not less than two and onehalf inches in width and one inch in thickness, and of such length as to extend to within at least two inches of the outer ends or sides of the ring A A, and so attached to the ring A A that the canvas is not pierced or broken by bolts, screws, or similar devices, but is held in place bycompression of the slats by means of the bolts 0 C.

By preference I incase the bolts 0 G in wood, not only because the buoyancy of the wood counteracts the weight of the metal, but also because the wood forms a firm washer or support between the frames B BB B.

It is obvious that the paddle D is made of such length as to be easily handled and stowed, when not in use, between the frames B B B B. The belts of canvas E E are so adjusted around and across the slats of the frames B B B B that they serve as seats for persons navigating the buoy. The life-line F is fastened by staples to each end of the slats forming the frames B B B B, each bight in the line being left slightly slack, so as to be easily caught by a person in the water.

To carry my invention into effect the life'- buoy, constructed substantially as above described, is placed in such a part of the vessel as to be most accessible. Being compact in form and light in weight, it can instantly be thrown into the water by one person, who can follow it and propel it by means of the paddle to any desired point. being exactly alike, it will always be in proper or upright position in the water. If the rescued person is entirely disabled, he may be drawn upon the life-buoy, which is capable of sustaining the dead weight of at least two adults. In case of disaster at sea, where many persons are in the water, they may seize the life-line of the buoy, which is capable of sustaining in the water as many as can surround its circumference,

Having fully described my invention, what Both sides of the buoy 5 ing said ring firmly between their ends, and

I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patto connect said. frames, substantially as set cut is forth.

l he combination, in alif'e-bnoy, of the buoy- CHARLES W. WOOLSEY. ant elongated ring AA, the frames B B, clainp- Witnesses B01393. BLOOMSBURY, WASH I. TIER.

the tie-bolts (l, incased in wood and serving 

